


Making His Mark

by poubelle_squelette



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut but maybe not what you're expecting, F/M, Feelings, Imprinting, Love Confessions, POV Sans (Undertale), Pining, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Questionable Choices, Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), Reader-Insert, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love, reader is female
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-07-14 19:03:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16046648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poubelle_squelette/pseuds/poubelle_squelette
Summary: When he looked at you, he felt as though his body was on fire. Every inch of bone was incinerated. Sans felt alive. If he had a heart, it would be beating out of his chest.He found you. He really, truly, finally found you, and he imprinted immediately."If you come here again, I'm calling the cops."





	1. a less than stellar first impression

**Author's Note:**

> So this idea came to fruition thanks to rehlia, for posting the concept to her tumblr and I just couldn't help myself. It's going to be a short series because I don't have time for another multi-chapter long slow burn. I hope you all enjoy ^_^

It couldn’t have been a more normal, a more ordinary day. Sans was out shopping with Papyrus, and the two were grabbing lunch in the food court. Sans was carrying his tray towards a table when he just happened to look in the right place at the right time. There you were, across the room. You had only glanced up and made eye contact for a second, but a second was all it took.

Everything else in Sans’s vision dimmed and you glowed a magnificent orange. For just a moment you were the only thing in the world. His arms trembled and the tray holding his lunch hit the floor with a loud thud. His sandwich fell apart on the tile and was starting to soak up the soda that had spilled. He didn’t even care about the fries and ketchup that scattered around him. Sans’s breath quickened and his throat began to tighten. His soul drummed in his chest, a warm pang spreading throughout the rest of his body.

You jumped at the sudden noise and looked at him, eyes filled with concern. Sans could see your mouth moving, but heard no sound. The air was pulsating around him and all he could hear was the vibrations from his own soul as it desperately began to try clinging to yours.

When he looked at you, he felt as though his body was on fire. Every inch of bone was incinerated. Sans felt alive. If he had a heart, it would be beating out of his chest. 

Still shaking, Sans dashed through the food court in his slippered feet. He hadn’t ever moved so quickly in his life, but he would move mountains for you. 

You hadn’t taken your eyes off of him since he’d dropped his tray. What did you think? Was he too short? Too fat? Too different? Sans wished he had let Papyrus wash his hoodie last night. At least he showered this morning, that would make a good impression. God, you were so beautiful. Nothing else in this world mattered now that he saw you.

Sans was trembling when he stood in front of you, trying his best to form words in his mouth. He wanted you to know how perfect you were and how perfect you would be with him. How beautiful you were and how badly he wanted to kiss you here. How he was going to vow to keep you happy and safe for the rest of your life. 

“Um…are you okay?”

Without wasting another second, Sans started talking as quickly as he could to get out all his thoughts, “i love you. i love you so much. you're the best thing that could’ve ever happened to me. i didn’t think i was ever gonna find you. i know this isn’t how you wanted to meet, not exactly a romantic spot. i don’t care though because you’re beautiful and we’re meant to be.”

Sans wrapped his arms around you in a warm embrace. You smelled so good, like happiness. He felt at rest. At peace. The warmth forming in his chest was an unfamiliar feeling, but Sans would’ve given anything to feel like this all the time. Your hair tickled his cheekbones in the most comforting way. Sans wanted to run his fingers through it and let this feeling continue to envelope him forever. 

All too soon, you had gently pried his arms away from your body. Sans was finally getting a good look at your face. Gorgeous. You were gorgeous. Pretty skin, the cutest nose, and if he were to allow himself to be a bit cliché…you had the sexiest jawline he’d ever seen. He staggered back ever so slightly, ready for you to leap into his arms so he could whisk you away on his tricycle.

“I’m…uh…” you quickly stood up, “You seem…sweet and all…but, I’m sorry, you have the wrong person.” You averted your gaze. “We’ve never met before. Sorry.”

“no. no, no i know. but we were fated to meet today, here. just like this,” Sans said. “with the world stopping except for us. because you’re so important and this is our destiny.”

“I…I…” you stuttered. “I’m really not who you think I am.”

“no. no, no, no. i’ve got it right. didn’t you feel it?” He grabbed your hand and intertwined his fingers in yours. “we’re meant to be together. our souls are united. i love you.” He pressed your hand over the warm spot in his chest. “don’t ya feel it? my soul beats for you as yours does for mine,” he said.

You sharply recoiled your hand and held it against your chest. “No,” you snapped. “You’re being creepy and weird.” You rubbed your wrist. “I gotta go. Stay away from me.” 

You grabbed your bag and ran out as quickly as you could without looking back. Sans watched, frozen to his spot, as you left his sight.

Cold realization began to sink in as everything came back to clarity. The small murmurs and the bustle of the food court reentered his senses. Sans looked around and saw the majority of the food court was watching him, some whispering and others pointing. He gripped his hood, feeling absolutely humiliated. What had come over him?

Sans turned and made the long, agonizing walk back to Papyrus, fully aware at how everyone was staring at him. “we gotta go, paps.”

\--

The next few days following this incident were some of the most euphoric and also most agonizing of Sans’s life. Sans couldn’t stop thinking about you. You were his angel. You were his light. Everything about you was perfect from the way you wore your hair all the way to how you walked. He felt like he was floating on air. Is this how Alphys and Undyne felt all the time? Or Toriel and Asgore? 

Sans knew he didn’t make a good first impression. He had made an absolute fool of himself in front of you. He hadn’t realized that he would react that way. He had been completely overcome with emotion and he couldn’t even think about stopping himself before all the word vomit just spilled out of him. 

He knew that you were definitely creeped out by him, and Sans couldn’t even blame you. He didn’t get to introduce himself with a clever pun or make any of his jokes. To Sans, this was uncharted territory. He was used to being in control of every situation and choosing his words wisely. He was the guy who was easy-going and easy to get along with. Not exactly cool and suave, but at least he knew he was funny.

Sans must’ve replayed his introduction at least a thousand times in his head and berated himself for completely ruining any chance he had with you before you even said two words to him.

This caused Sans to feel an ache and longing he’d never experienced before. He just wanted to cradle you in his arms and give you a big ol’ smooch. He wanted a do-over. He just needed a chance to prove to you that you were meant to be. 

The emotional whiplash between feeling elated and mortified started to balance out about a week later. Sans has settled into switching between content and dejected. He was still constantly thinking about you though. Sometimes when he closed his eyes he could perfectly conjure up the memory and feeling he got as he held you. 

During one of his highs, Sans started baking again. The oven dinged and Sans pulled out the muffins he was currently making. How long had it been since he baked before meeting you? Probably that quiche from a few years back. Sans hadn’t been in the mood to cook in so long. Did you like sweets? Or were you more into savory? 

“YOU’RE SMILING,” Papyrus said.

“i’m always smilin.”

“WHY HAVEN’T YOU TRIED TO FIND HER YET? IF SHE MAKES YOU THIS HAPPY, YOU NEED TO FIND HER.”

“paps…” Sans trailed off.

He knew that finding you would make him happy. As it was, he was happy that he had the ability to imprint at all. He sincerely believed he would never find ‘the one.’ Sans was elated that he found you. _You._ You were everything he’s ever hoped to find. 

But…

“bro, she isn’t going to wanna see me.”

“HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?”

“i made a fool of myself. she isn’t going to talk to me after that.”

“YES, YOU WERE ACTING LIKE AN UNSCRUPULOUS SKELETON.”

“and i wouldn’t even know where to find her.”

Papyrus stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I SUPPOSE YOU’RE RIGHT.” He opened the fridge. “OH, WE’RE OUT OF MILK.”

“huh, alright. guess i’ll _milk_ the situation and head to the store.”

“LEAVE.”

\--

Usually it was Papyrus who did the grocery shopping, but Sans was happy to look through the aisles. There were a couple of dishes he wanted to cook this week, but he had a few missing ingredients, so he was glad to have a reason to be at the store. He threw a package of noodles into the cart when he heard a loud crash from the produce section.

He peeked his head out to see what happened.

And there you were.

Picking up oranges off the floor, apologizing to the produce clerk.

It took all of Sans’s self-restraint to keep from running up to you. He dug his nails into his palm bones, turning away so he wasn’t looking right at you. He sunk down to the floor, breathing heavy.

You were here. Here! It was the universe giving him the second chance that he so desperately wanted, that he begged any higher power he could think of for. You were standing _right there_ completely unknowing of his presence.

Sans could hear you as you helped the clerk. Your voice was like a song, a symphony designed just for him. 

“Aw geez,” you said. “Well, _orange_ you glad I didn’t knock over all the bananas? That would’ve certainly been an _unappealing_ situation.”

Were you…were you punning right now? Did you somehow know he was there, that he was hanging onto your every word?

Sans has never been more in love with anyone.

He was almost crying because he was so overwhelmed. Sans was so happy that you there. He could hardly believe his good luck. God, you were perfect. Of course you would like puns. Of course you would shop at the only market that regularly stocked monster food. You were _flawless,_ you were _angelic,_ you were going to make him the happiest man on the planet.

Sans placed a hand over his chest, feeling that wonderful warmth returning. He sighed heavily, basking in that tender feeling.

He dared to take another peek at you. You were wheeling your cart towards the cashier. Sans abandoned his own cart to watch you from behind the cereal aisle. You smiled at the cashier and handed her your grocery bags. You set your purse down to get your wallet and Sans saw a small skull and crossbones charm hanging from the zipper. He wanted to propose to you on the spot.

He covered his mouth, biting down on his hand to stop him from embarrassing himself further. He watched you chat with the cashier and felt himself melt inside. Sans couldn’t help but also look at what you were buying. Fresh fruit and vegetables, some small snacks. You had stopped at the small monster café inside the store, he’d recognize Muffet’s spider web packaging anywhere. 

At the very least, Sans could be comforted knowing that you weren’t completely opposed to monsters as a whole.

You paid and collected your groceries. Sans watched you leave the store. He realized that he was losing out on his chance to have a proper second impression. 

Forget the shopping, he told himself. All he could focus on was you. He walked with purpose. What was he going to say? Should he act like your first meeting never happened or should he acknowledge it? He tried to think of a clever opening line, but he couldn’t think of anything. Nothing. Absolutely no inkling of humor was coming to him. 

Sans inwardly panicked. He couldn’t talk to you right now, he had no idea what to say! His mind was hazy and all he could think about was kissing you and growing old together. But he couldn’t just let you go either, who knows when he’d get the chance to see you again.

So…so…so…

Sans was going to do something he wasn’t proud of. 

Sans watched you place your grocery bags into your car. You climbed in and started it up. Sans kept a sharp eye on your car as it pulled out of the parking lot.

…And he immediately teleported to the parking lot entrance. From there, he watched your car drive along the street. He teleported to a nearby tree, and then a bus stop bench, and then a pole. He kept a careful eye on your car and despite his will, he was making sure you couldn’t see him. 

He followed you all the way home. He watched you pull into a driveway. You took out your groceries and unlocked your front door. Sans wasn’t sure what he was expecting. This is where you lived. This is where you slept. And it may not have been much, but to Sans this was paradise. This is where you were.

He committed the address to memory and teleported home.

Sans landed with a soft bounce onto his bed.

He could not stop the wide grin on his face. He found you. He _found_ you. This was the best thing that could’ve happened to him. He thanked all the gods he could think of. He replayed your puns in his mind and chuckled at them, even after imagining them for the tenth time. You really were his light and now that Sans knew where you lived, he wasn’t going to fuck this up again.

…

……

Oh.

Sans sat up, a nervous pit now suddenly in his belly. He knew where you lived. _He fucking followed you home like a complete psychopath._ What the hell was he thinking?

He pulled his hood over his head and crumpled himself into fetal position. He let out a loud groan of frustration.

“BROTHER!” Papyrus called. “ARE YOU HOME ALREADY?”

Goddammit, he also forgot the milk.


	2. confession is good for the soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Why are you crying?” you asked, voice suddenly very soft.
> 
> There was a long pause. Everyone avoided your gaze to stare at the floor in awkward silence. Sans couldn’t bring himself to say it. He grabbed his hood and started to pull it over his head as he sunk down in shame.
> 
> “…He’s imprinted on you, dear,” Toriel said.

Sans was incredibly embarrassed by his behavior at the grocery store, so he had planned to keep the whole thing under wraps and never mention it _ever._ Unfortunately, his big fat mouth didn’t get the memo when he was in his highs. 

In fact, he _bragged_ to everyone in his friend circle about exactly how he found you and how happy he was and how he was going to marry you. His soul was constantly crying out in bliss, wanting to be with you and not caring how that was going to happen. 

The teasing had been merciless.

It wasn’t his fault that he was acting like a lovesick puppy. It was your fault, and he was thankful to you in every way for it, but it wasn’t his fault. He cringed at himself when he was back in the right state of mind. 

“Dude, just grow a pair and go friggin see your woman!” Undyne said one day after he had spent _half an hour_ just talking about your eyes. “Unless…you’re chicken,” she said with a toothy grin.

“but what if…what if she…”

“Listen. You can live your life in fear, second guessing every second or you can take the leap. You’re going to feel complete and whole when you’re with her. She’s universe approved.”

“W-well put, sweetie!” Alphys said.

“i need to go make a phone call,” Sans said, leaving the living room. He dialed a number and leaned against the wall.

“Hello?”

“ring ring it’s the telebone.”

A snort of laughter. “Good afternoon, Sans. How are you feeling? I hope you’ve been taking care of yourself and eating well.”

“gee, what can i say old lady? i'm still all skin and bones, sans the skin.”

“Are you still thinking about her?”

“god, tori, always. my soul is cryin for her right now.” Sans put a hand on his chest, already feeling the soft glow from his soul, painfully reminding him who he wasn’t nearby right now.

Toriel hummed. “That’s very normal. Seems you’re ab-soul-utely sure she’s the one.”

“har har.”

“Have you reached out to her at all? It’s important that you’re getting regular contact or else you’re going to be too overwhelmed to even speak to her when you meet.”

“that’s…that’s why i'm calling,” Sans said. “could ya…come with me, you’re better at explainin this stuff and i…don’t wanna mess it up.”

“Oh!” Toriel exclaimed. “Of course, anything to help a friend.”

Sans suddenly felt at ease. Toriel had a certain aura around people that made them listen. Maybe it was that motherly tone she used. Whatever the case, he was eternally grateful. “thanks, tor.”

“We are all rooting for you Sans.”

\--

This plan was not going to work.

Sans’s nonexistent stomach was churning. 

You were going to slap him or slam the door in his face or both, he was sure of it. He would. He was a stranger coming up to your door to beg you to date him. 

He was just going to bring Toriel, but then he realized he needed more moral support, so he invited Papyrus. And then Papyrus ended up asking Undyne and Alphys to tag along. You were going to turn them away for sure. This was a bad plan. This was barely a plan at all. Sans tugged on his hood, shaking from nerves.

“It will be fine, Sans,” Toriel promised. “I will talk to her and explain what happened. You want to be able to see her, yes?”

Sans nodded, embarrassed by this entire situation.

“S-sans, it’s not a big deal. It’s n-normal.”

That was not as reassuring as Sans hoped it would be.

When Papyrus parked his car, Sans could feel himself getting revved up at the thought of seeing you. He was hearing wedding bells, picturing the two of you picnicking in the park, and imagining the sight of you curled up in his arms. He released a shaky breath. He wanted to see you so badly. He wanted to hold you so badly. He wanted to hear your voice and listen to your heartbeat.

When he looked at your front door, he could still imagine you carrying in your groceries. That experience flooded back to him. God, he couldn’t do this. He followed you here. That was serial killer behavior. He was being a huge fucking creep.

But at the same time he could _feel_ you here. You were so close to him _again_.

They got out of the car and walked up to your doorstep. Toriel nodded at him reassuringly. Sans raised his knuckles to your door.

_Knock-knock_

…

“Who’s there?”

Sans let his mouth fall open just slightly and his soul leapt. Did…did you just…?

“canoe.”

He heard your slight giggle from behind the door. It was so cute. “…Canoe who?”

“canoe, uh, open the door, it’s getting cold out here.”

There was a soft click before the door creaked open. “You know, people rarely ever do the knock-knock thing with-Oh! Oh.”

It was a painful pause. To Sans, it felt like an eternity. Your eyes connecting with his made him feel overjoyed. The smile slipped off your face as you realized who he was.

“Uh…oh, oh my god! You’re the guy from the food court.” You gripped the door and took a step back. “How the fuck did you find out where I live?” You angrily pointed a finger in his face, “Get out of here and don’t come back or I’m calling the cops.” 

You were about to close the door when Sans called out.

“wait! i know how it looks i just…” Sans shifted his feet. “i…” he looked up at you, fully intending to explain that your first meeting wasn’t what he wanted. God, you were amazing. All he wanted was to run in through that doorway and kiss you everywhere. The way your head tilted like that was so precious. You were so guarded and protective. Orange soul. Brave. So brave and bold. He loved that about you. “i…i…i…”

You rolled your eyes and started to close the door again when Toriel placed her paw in the doorway. She smiled gently at you.

“Please, my name is Toriel. May we come in for just a moment? You must be confused by all of this. There’s a perfectly logical explanation and we just really wanted to clear the air. Maybe answer any questions you still have.” She opened her purse and pulled out her ID card. “As you can see, I hold a high ranking with my people. You can trust my word on this.”

You inspected the card and handed it back. You narrowed your eyes and pursed your lips. “Fine. Just for a moment,” you said. You stepped aside to let everyone in. 

Sans entered last. Your place smelled just like you. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, savoring the moment of being inside for the first time. Like when he embraced you, he felt warm and complete. Your scent was comforting, like the feeling of a warm hoodie from the dryer. Sans felt like he was in paradise, like he could spend forever-

“Stop that, you’re being creepy.”

Sans cringed inwardly. He _was_ being creepy. “sorry. i really don’t mean to be.” He averted his gaze. This was already proving to be harder than he thought it would be. All Sans wanted was for you to give him a chance. He opened his mouth, but you were already walking past him to greet your other guests.

“Please, have a seat,” you said. “It’s Toriel, right?”

“That’s correct,” Toriel nodded. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I heard about your meeting with Sans. It’s…well, probably confusing for you, isn’t it?”

You cleared your throat. “Listen. I’m flattered, really. It’s not every day one gets a love confession as…uh, passionate as…” you trailed off and turned to Sans, “What was it, Sans, right?” 

Sans could’ve died and gone to Heaven after hearing his name roll off your tongue like that. God, please let her say that again. He nodded in affirmation.

You completely ignored the way he was looking at you, turning back to Toriel, “Right. As passionate as Sans’s was. But honestly, it was kind of weird, and sending in a squad of people isn’t going to make me want to date him. It just makes him seem desperate, no offence.”

Sans didn’t think you could offend him even if you called him the worst names in the book. Even if you compared him to Jerry.

“WELL, WHAT IF WE WERE TO CALL OURSELVES A ‘GANG’ INSTEAD OF A SQUAD? WOULD YOU RECONSIDER IT THEN?”

“Excuse me? No,” you said. “Why would that change my mind?”

“WELL, I DON’T KNOW. YOU TELL ME, HUMAN. ‘GANG’ SEEMED LIKE IT HAD A SENSE OF CONVINCING PIZAZZ THAT ‘SQUAD’ JUST COULDN’T COMPARE TO.”

“Plus, gangs are super tough! And we can suplex you into approval!”

“GREAT IDEA UNDYNE!”

“What?!” you exclaimed. “No, the word ‘gang’ isn’t going to change my mind.”

“WHAT IF WE CALLED OURSELVES A POSSE?”

“No.”

“OR A CREW. SANS, WE COULD START THAT DANCE CREW I’VE BEEN DREAMING ABOUT FOR THE LAST 5 SECONDS. WE CAN CALL IT PAPYRUS AND THE COOL DUDES.”

Suddenly all his friends started talking over each other and you were trying to argue with all of them. It was loud and undeniably not going well.

“oh my god.”

Sans wanted to disappear. It was finally setting in that this chat wasn’t going as planned. Based on the look on your face, he was thankful you weren’t already throwing them out of your home. After this, you weren’t ever going to want to speak to him again. You’d never want to see him again. He would have to live his life alone without his partner, his mate. He would have to go back to the darkness. He would have to go back to being alone. It wasn’t fair. Sans always got the short end of the stick. His whole life he fought to keep his brother happy. To keep his friends happy. He never thought about himself, ever. Was it so selfish to want this one tiny thing? He always knew in his soul he’d never properly imprint and now that he finally has, it was all going to be ripped away. He could never be happy. He was useless. He was worthless. He wasn’t deserving of love.

“Hey, oh my god, are you okay? You’re crying.”

The arguments and conversations were silenced. Sans reached up and touched his cheeks; warm tears were pooling in his sockets. Sans used the back of his sleeve to wipe them away. “’m fine,” he mumbled, ignoring the soaring feeling he got from you showing how much you cared about him. 

“Why are you crying?” you asked, voice suddenly very soft.

There was a long pause. Everyone avoided your gaze to stare at the floor in awkward silence. Sans couldn’t bring himself to say it. He grabbed his hood and started to pull it over his head as he sunk down in shame.

“…He’s imprinted on you, dear,” Toriel said. “It’s very normal for monsters. Souls have a certain…pull to each other, if you will. You don’t always meet the person you’re supposed to imprint with, but when you do, it’s an indescribable experience. Sans is normally…”

“NOT A CREEP.” 

“Yes. Thank you, Papyrus,” Toriel said. She took your hands in hers. “It’s an overwhelming time. He just found out that he’s imprinted, so he’s very emotional right now. Try not to hold that against him my dear.”

“Imprinted,” you repeated. “Like. Like _Twilight_ with Jacob and Renesmee. Oh my god. Am I the baby?” You gasped. “I am the baby. Why would you imprint on a baby?”

Your words were sharp and accusatory, which made Sans feel even worse. “it’s not really a choice,” he mumbled. “i just saw you and it happened.”

“So, what? I don’t get a say in this? I didn’t feel this ‘imprint’ thing at all. Are we supposed to be soulmates now? What if I don’t want to see you again?”

Sans couldn’t think of anything worse. Your words were like a punch to the gut. He clutched his stomach and hoped the universe would swallow him whole. If he couldn’t be with you, he couldn’t be with anybody and that was a fate worse than death now that he’s seen you.

“Let’s not get too rash,” Toriel said, “I know this is a lot to take in, my dear. Please try to be considerate with your words. Sans, whether he can help it or not, feels a deep connection to you. I know it is a lot to ask, but…imagine being in his position and hearing what you just said.”

You guiltily averted your eyes. “Sorry. I’m…I’m sorry, that was really rude. Um…but…it’s a concern. Are we…soulmates? Bound together?

Toriel gently shook her head and said, “Monsters can live without their imprint. It isn’t a life or death situation if you make the choice to not pursue the relationship. We’re not sure about the implications of you being human. It’s a new phenomenon since coming to the surface and so I can’t say for sure whether you will ever feel the connection or not. You are free to never see Sans again if that is your wish. However,” she smiled, “I do believe you would take a liking to Sans if you spent some time with him.”

“PLEASE HUMAN. I HAVE NEVER SEEN MY BROTHER SO HAPPY. HE SPENT HIS LIFE ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR OTHERS AND NEVER HIMSELF. HE WAS SO SAD AND THEN HE SAW YOU AND IT WAS LIKE…MAGIC! SANS IS MY BROTHER AND A REAL COOL DUDE.”

“Let me guess, not as cool as you, though?” you asked.

“I HAVE 163 FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM. IT’S HARD TO BE COOLER THAN ME WHEN ONE HAS SUCH POPULARITY AND PRESTIGE. BUT SANS IS DEFINITELY UP THERE ON THE COOLNESS SCALE.”

“L-look,” Alphys said, “Sans and I used to work together. He’s s-smart and really f-funny, if you like jokes. And…uh…w-well this would make a nice s-start to a really good f-fanfiction.”

“Mmmmm,” you winced.

“S-story?”

You grimaced.

“A-anecdote?”

“Listen punk! Sans is a really cool dude and you should give him a chance. He worked for me as a sentry and, well, he was total crap at his job! But he’s a good guy under that bony bod of his and he hasn’t shut up about your meeting since it happened. I had to listen to him talk about you for two _hours_ last week.”

You looked at Sans. He felt like he was going to melt under your gaze. “Well?” you said. “You’re the one who’s so in love with me. What do you have to say about all this?”

All the air seemed to be sucked out of him. His mouth felt dry. _think sans, she’s fucking waiting for you. this is your chance. you practiced this hundreds of times in the mirror._

He stood up and held his hand out, hoping he could keep his composure long enough to at least say what he needed to. “name’s sans. sans the skeleton.”

You looked at his extended hand skeptically. Sans could feel sweat forming on his browbone. Were you rejecting him already?

“It’s nice to meet you, Sans,” you said, shaking his hand.

And the loudest, longest, wettest fart sound echoed in your living room.

“Sans!”

“YOU HAD ONE JOB! ONE!”

“W-why!?”

“Read the room, dude!”

All of his friends may have been freaking out at his choice, but the only reaction Sans cared about was _yours._

And _you_ , the most precious woman in the world, were howling with laughter. “I…I…I…” you stammered, unable to catch your breath in between laughing. “You come here, because you _love me_ and this is your _one_ chance at getting a date and you…you…” Tears were welling up in the corners of your eyes. You sucked in your breath before doubling over in giggles again.

Sans could’ve been flying and it still wouldn’t have made him as happy as he was with your reaction. He felt like he won the lottery by the way you were looking at him. 

You finally composed yourself and you threw your hands up. “Fine!” you said. “It’s endearing that you all came down here to vouch for your friend.” You looked at Sans, “One date. No promises of a second one, okay?”

Sans stared, mouth agape. Did you really just…? He broke out in the widest grin he could muster. “ok!” 

“Okay.”

“ok.”


	3. date with destiny if destiny is another word for rando

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not the most awkward date you've been on. Probably.

Date night.

Sans had been longing for this night since the moment he left your house nearly 48 hours ago. He was dying to get to spend some time on you without his chaperones arguing. He was so excited, he changed his outfit nearly ten times this afternoon in an effort to look nice for you. Were you into guys with a more preppy look? A sporty look? A skater look? Clothes were important, at least according to the Dating Manual, which was all Sans had to work with for now.

He settled on his hoodie and jeans. Classic. 

You let him pick out the restaurant because you didn’t know much about monster food and what Sans was able to eat, or if he was even able to eat at all. Normally, that question annoyed Sans, but from you it was adorable. Such a naïve curiosity about his people. You showed such an interest in him and his biology. He’d answer every question you ever had.

Sans’s usual go-to was always Grillby’s, but he was already mortified that his inner circle of friends knew about his imprinting. There wasn’t any need to bring you to his favorite spot so he could be openly teased by the other patrons who frequented the bar. You were already halfway out the metaphorical door and Sans could not risk anything going wrong on this first date.

Instead, he took you to a small café. It was one of Muffet’s properties, although she was pretty hands off when it came to running the place (ironic, for a monster with so many hands).

But the place had dim lights, soft music, and pastries to die for. Sans could only hope that you liked it.

You agreed to meet him outside. Sans was waiting, leaning against the wall of the building, giddy with anticipation. He kept trying to calm himself down by remembering to breathe, but then he would remember that you agreed to go out with him and he’d get all worked up again. 

One day, you would both look back on this date in fond memory and laugh about how awkward your meeting was, but you would both be so happy that it happened. Every small hiccup, including Sans’s creepy behavior, would be overlooked because you would be together and living your lives together in a big house with three kids and that one annoying dog who kept coming by.

Sans closed his eyes and let himself daydream. He placed his palm on his sternum and let his fantasies play through his head. These thoughts made him feel so much warmth and joy, like you were a big ray of sunshine. He wanted to tell you so badly just how much you brightened his day.

Right in the middle of imagining his proposal, Sans suddenly realized what he was doing and how crazy it sounded. He should _not_ be idealizing a future with you. He should _not_ be thinking about marriage or proposals or kids. And he definitely should _not_ assume that this date was going to go well. 

As much as it pained him to admit, if the roles were reversed, he would not bother giving himself a chance. He seemed incredibly desperate and clingy, two words he would have never used to describe himself until only recently.

Inhale.

Exhale.

He just had to play today cool. He tried recalling all of his favorite jokes and tried to plan out how he would say them to make you laugh. You liked puns and skeletons, and skeleton puns were Sans’s forte.

“Hey, don’t tell me you were waiting long.”

Sans jumped at the sudden noise, squeaking a little when he realized it was you. “oh, uh, nah. just got here.”

He’s been waiting for forty-five minutes.

You looked the place up and down. “This place looks nice. I haven’t been here yet, but I’ve tried Muffet’s Pastries before. Should we go in?”

Sans eagerly nodded and grabbed the door for you. You said a simple thank you and walked in to a nearby table. Sans gripped the fabric of his hoodie in an effort to keep calm. _don’t be creepy_ he told himself. He walked in after you and joined you at the small booth.

God, you looked gorgeous. You were wearing a cute dress with a knit sweater. Your hair was brushed out of your face, so Sans could look over every detail on your skin. He could just make out the laugh lines around your mouth and eyes. He knew that meant you laughed and smiled often. You had put on just a touch of makeup. Did you do that for him? The apples of your cheeks looked especially cute, full, and rosy. You had some sort of shimmer on your face too, the sparkles reflecting off the restaurant lights. Even your eyelashes were long and curled and pretty.

“…Hellooo???”

“huh?”

“We’ve been waiting for your order,” you said plainly. You propped your elbow on the table and rested against your hand. “Seemed a little distracted there.”

“i…uh…”

You took a deep breath. “He’ll just have the same,” you said. 

“…sorry. you’re just really pretty.”

“Staring is still generally considered rude and creepy behavior.”

_fuck. stop being such a weirdo._ Sans told himself. “sorry,” he apologized again. 

You drummed your fingers against the table. “You say that a lot. What does it feel like? To imprint, I mean. I guess you already know that I can’t feel it.”

“you’re the only person in the universe right now,” Sans said without hesitation. “i feel like i’ve died and this is heaven.”

You visibly recoiled. Sans did his best to ignore the stabbing feeling in his chest. “That’s…interesting. And you’re sure that there’s no particular reason that it was me?”

“uh…maybe you made a good first imprint-tion?” Sans offered with a grin.

You gave him a deadpan stare. Sans shrank in his hoodie a bit. 

“listen,” _baby_ , “pal. if i could turn it off i would. this isn’t what i'm usually like. mentioned it before, but i didn't even think i could imprint before you.”

The waitress came back with two cups of coffee and a plate of pastries. She placed each cup down delicately to not disrupt the heart latte art. You picked yours up, curls of steam framing your face. Sans just about melted on the spot.

“Thanks a latte,” you said to the waitress, before taking a big sip.

“i love you.”

You choked on your coffee, spitting your mouthful up. You coughed, grabbing a napkin to clean up your mess. Sans slapped his hand over his mouth, as if that could take it back.

“shit, i'm sorry. that came out of nowhere. that was…nothing,” no it wasn’t. “i didn’t mean it,” yes he did. “it just slipped out.”

“You need to cool it with this love thing,” you said, tossing the napkin aside. “I know I’m supposed to be nice and take care of your feelings, but you need to try to stop telling me that. Do you even get what that means to humans?”

Sans shook his head.

“Look, it’s a big deal, okay? People on first dates don’t say ‘I love you’ because it makes them sound clingy and desperate. You can’t love someone you’ve only known for a day. You don’t even know me. You can’t love someone you don’t know. It’s already hard to love someone you _do_ know. When someone says that for the first time, it’s supposed to be really special, like you’re making a commitment to that person. I don’t know anything about you except that you’re kind of funny when you’re not being completely weird.”

Sans wasn’t actually sure he could agree to that. He felt like he was going to burst every time you looked at him, and he wanted you to know how much he loved you. Every moment of every day. “ok,” he said anyway.

Because that’s what would make you happy. 

You relaxed a little after that and took a long sip of your drink. “Okay, Sans the Skeleton. Tell me about you. Dazzle me.”

Sans wasn’t sure what to say about himself. He realized that he was pretty boring, really. Just kind of an average joe, a layman. “i have a brother.”

“Right. The tall, loud one. Who wants to be in a gang, I guess?”

Sans chuckled. “nah he’s just overexcited about things. used to wear the battle armor outfit i made him every day because he was really into superheroes. once, he bought an entire supermarket’s supply of spaghetti so he could perfect some italian recipe he found impastably difficult.”

“Mm,” you said, small smile forming. “Sounds like the two of you are pretty close.”

“yeah…paps is the coolest.”

“It’s endearing that you care about him. Makes you seem a little more real,” you said. “What about work, what do you do?”

“i run an off the books hot dog stand in the park,” he said.

You whistled. “An outlaw I see.”

Sans couldn’t tell whether or not your tone was approving. He bit his metaphoric tongue that was dying to tell you he’d find a new job if you wanted him to support you. Hell, he’d willingly go back to school and officially get his degree if that’s what you asked for.

“You keep touching your chest. What’s that about?”

“’s relaxing,” Sans said, dropping his hand. He hadn’t even realized he was doing that. “that’s the spot where my soul is. putting my hand there feels good.”

“…You’re not, like…masturbating on this date or anything?”

Sans couldn’t help it. He started laughing, loudly and without any reserve. He knew that your knowledge on monsters was limited; he shouldn’t mock that. But he was now clutching his middle, happy tears welling up in his sockets, shoulders shaking as he wheezed out giggles. 

“no!” he finally gasped out. “god, no. it’s, uh, similar to scratching an itch or massaging a sore muscle or something.”

“Oh. Good,” you said, taking a bite of a piece of cake, cheeks reddening.

Fuck, that was attractive.

He loved you. He was ready to teleport you home and kiss you until he couldn’t breathe. He loved that expression – your cheeks flushed and warm, but for a better reason than embarrassment. He wanted to elicit that response. He wanted to touch you and he wanted you to feel all the love and pleasure that coursed through his body every time he even _thought_ of you.

_fuck_ , Sans thought. _i’m daydreaming again._

You were staring at him now, wincing a little. Sans shrank. He felt so small. And stupid.

“i hate this.”

“Excuse me?”

“the imprint. i hate it.”

You blinked a few times. Sans could tell by your expression that you were surprised by his sudden confession. You placed the fork down. “I just…I thought you said it felt like Heaven. I thought it was supposed to feel good for you.”

“it does, until my mind gets away from me. thinking and doing things i shouldn’t. things i normally wouldn’t. i just want to make you happy, and it’s killing me that i can’t. it’s killin me that i know how i’m acting and i can’t stop.”

Being around you was like being stuck in an endless loop of simultaneously healing old wounds and then using a knife to cut them open again. Feeling on top of the world and then crashing down without warning. He just wanted you to be happy, but he selfishly only wanted you to be happy with him. He wanted you to smile at him and stop acting so suspicious of him, even though he was definitely acting suspicious and you had every right to be wary. And above all, he felt embarrassed at how he was acting around you. This was the complete opposite of normal interaction with another living thing.

“How are you feeling?”

“mortified, mostly.”

“Really?”

The sound of relief in your voice made Sans perk up. Maybe…this could be how he approaches it. Jokes. You liked jokes, Sans knew that much.

“heh…uh, yeah. leave it to a _skeleton_ to get mixed up in matters of the heart. ‘ey, you hear about the skeleton who couldn’t imprint? he had no body to do it with.”

A faint smile tugged on your lips.

“huh, is that a smile i see? did i _tickle your funny bone_?”

“Was my fondness of jokes that obvious?” you asked.

“nah, i'm just a master comedian,” Sans said, leaning on the table now, “when i'm not at my hot dog stand, i do stand up at the place on the corner of 2nd and main.” He grabbed a cookie from the plate and took a big bite.

“A comedian,” you murmured. 

“now i guess i’ll have a lot of new material. nothin' funnier than rejection.”

“People do love misery.”

You picked up your fork and started eating again. Tiny cake crumbs and a smidge of frosting stuck to the edge of your mouth. Sans’s eyes were transfixed on them, every nonexistent nerve in his body just wanted to reach up and swipe it with his thumb and then licking it off. He reached up-!

“no!” Sans exclaimed, slamming his hand down on the table.

“…What?” you asked, tilted your head.

“uh…no…way…dude, you have crumbs on your face.”

You gave him an extremely strange look, but stuck out your tongue to lap up the cake. “Thanks,” you said before biting into another forkful, completely unknowing how fast Sans’s soul was pulsing.

Sans knew he had to keep the conversation going if he had any chance of getting through this date without anymore unintentional daydreams. “so…what about you? what brings you to ebbott city?”

“Oh,” you said, chewing thoughtfully. “I came here for a fresh start. I guess I technically got one. I haven’t made that many friends yet, but everyone seems friendly enough. You’re probably the weirdest person I have to worry about, honestly.”

“is that good?”

“Well it’s not bad; how does that sound?”

Sans grabbed another cookie, not wanting to respond to that. He wanted to be someone you looked forward to seeing. He supposed it wasn’t the worst response though, given the circumstances, even though it stung a bit.

There was a long lull in conversation, both of you taking sips of coffee but not saying anything. 

“so…this weather, huh?”

“Yeah…yeah, heard it was supposed to rain this week.”

…

……

Your phone pinged, and you pulled it out of your purse to check the notification. Sans tried to peer at the screen to see who you were talking to when he suddenly had a deep, sinking feeling. _what if you had a boyfriend already?_

He tried to recollect everything about your apartment that could indicate another mate – extra shoes at the door, mail with someone else’s name on it, couple’s towels – and couldn’t think of anything that stood out. Your phone was already back in your pocket so he couldn’t see any photographs on your lock screen or the name of whoever was texting you or anything at all. His mind was already thinking of the possibilities – he’d be human, of course, and probably tall and extremely handsome, nothing at all like him. Neat, clean-cut, probably someone with an important job. This wasn’t fair, this wasn’t fair, this wasn’t—

“You’re doing it again.”

“fuck!” Sans swore. “shit, i…sorry. i-” he cut himself off. “heh, geez. this is harder than i thought it’d be.”

“Relax,” you said. “Eat.”

Sans did as he was told and immediately shoved a brownie in his face to avoid speaking.

“I don’t have a boyfriend, by the way,” you said.

Sans suddenly felt light again. You didn’t have a boyfriend? You weren’t seeing anyone. He placed a hand back on his chest, letting the warmth bloom throughout him. He was grateful you weren’t seeing anyone and grateful that you were still giving him the time of day now. He smiled to himself. So lucky. So, so, so lucky.

“You’re giving me bedroom eyes and that’s freaking me out,” you said.

Sans cringed. “no i’m not.”

“You one hundred percent were. Your cheeks are blushing, I think? I mean, if skeletons blush blue, then you’re blushing.”

Sans immediately slapped his hands over his face.

“I would’ve never pegged you for the tsundere type, but here we are.”

Sans couldn’t tell if he liked your teasing or not. On the one hand, he felt comfort knowing that you were comfortable enough to make fun of him. On the other hand, he was incredibly embarrassed as it was and felt like he was being put under a microscope. His calm and lazy persona was being picked apart and you didn’t even know you were doing it.

“it isn’t very funny,” he finally settled on. 

…

……

“Sorry,” you apologized. “I forgot. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

…

……

“Hey, what kind of music do you like? I hear skeletons are really into the _xylobone_!”

He could hear the freaking wedding bells.

Sans refrained from getting down on his knees, but he did launch into a topic of his love of jazz and how he got started playing the trombone. It lead to you asking about any of the local jazz clubs, where he liked to buy music, which turned into a long conversation about clothes and style. Humans, Sans has learned over the years, are easy to keep interested if you just keep feeding them facts about monsters and the Underground. 

And he had your rapt attention, which he wasn’t about to give up, so he talked and talked, making little jokes along the way. You were a pretty good conversationalist and also pretty funny. It turned out to be pretty easy to talk to you so long as Sans didn’t get distracted.

The topic soon circled back to imprints and why monsters got them.

“So, do you know why you imprinted on a human?” you asked, cutting yourself another slice of cake. 

“genetics?” Sans guessed. “we’re not the same, but i guess we’re close enough. maybe a common ancestor.”

“Yeah, I guess. Maybe skeletons came from humans,” you said, suddenly reaching over the table.

Sans could barely squeak out “what-” before you took his hand and pressed your palm against his. His bones got prickly in all the places your hand touched. He was so sensitive to your touch he could feel the tiny pulse from your thumb. Sans felt like he could hardly breathe. You chose to do this. You _chose_ to grab his hand and make this connect. For just one, brief and fleeting moment you weren’t grossed out or disgusted or avoiding him.

A big glowing happiness bloomed in his chest. Sans dared to take a look at you. Soft, glowing orange. And you were smiling. That smile was more beautiful than a thousand sunsets or all of the constellations in the night sky. You made eye contact with him, your eyes shining for a moment too, and everything felt perfect. 

It was like Sans was missing a piece of his puzzle and here you were, a perfect fit.

You slowly took your hand from his, and as desperate as he was to grab it to keep the moment, he let you retreat. 

“This was surprisingly not a terrible time,” you said, gathering your things.

“what…it’s over?”

“Sans, we’ve been here for hours,” you said. “But, um…you know, I didn’t think I’d have a good time and you somehow turned this date around.” You handed him your phone.

“…seriously?”

“Well, if you take any longer, I’m rescinding my offer.”

Hurriedly, because Sans knew you were serious, he typed in his number. For his contact name, Sans _really_ wanted to name himself ‘future husboned’ but instead he settled on:

“Sansy Boy?” you said. 

Fuck. Anyone else calling him that and Sans would be annoyed and embarrassed, but it was you and he loved hearing that nickname fall from your lips. It made him feel warm inside. “uh huh.”

“See ya,” you said, turning to leave.

“w-wait!” Sans called. When you turned back to face him, he asked, “is…is there any chance we’re ever gonna go from where we are now to a scenario where you feel the same way i do?”

“Sans…”

“please,” Sans said, desperately. “i…i just need to know if there’s any hope.”

Waiting for your response was like torture. He couldn’t even look at you in the eye. The air around him felt thick with tension as he waited. You cleared your throat and shuffled a bit. Sans wanted more than anything for you to say ‘yes.’ He wished, harder than he’s wished for anything, for just a small chance for a shot with you. 

“I don’t know,” you finally said. “There’s…alarm bells and red flags going off. I shouldn’t even have gone out with you today, but I don’t get a bad gut feeling. That has to be good, I guess. Let’s just not build up to anything too grand, okay? How about we go on a second date first? Is that alright?”

Was that alright?!

Sans felt like he was being shot over the moon. You said _Let’s go on a second date._ That had to mean that you were at least interested. He would win you over. Even if it meant writing a thousand jokes ahead of time to impress you, he would leave you dazzled and wanting him. 

A need stirred. Sans’s cheekbones flushed. His luck had gotten him so far today, if it could just bring one last miracle to the date.

“i know this is way more than you bargained for,” Sans said, “and i’m terrified to ask, but…c-can i hug you? just for a minute.”

You hesitated and then shook your head. Sans understood completely, although now he wanted to sink into a puddle on the floor. _stupid, so stupid_ he berated himself. He pushed his luck way further than it should’ve gone already. 

“But, um, hey, I’ll text you,” you said. “I really did have fun.”

You reached over and squeezed his shoulder before waving goodbye and walking out of the café. Sans sighed and touched his chest, waiting for all his emotions to calm down. It felt like he was on a rollercoaster today; his emotions were all over the place and he didn’t like it. 

But…it was worth it, to get another chance with you.


End file.
